Environmental Concerns About Water Quality

"Many farm families get their water from a spring resource on the farm, so
they are probably more conscious about
chemicals getting into the sources
than anybody else."

"The absence of E. Coli indicator bacteria suggests that both Wolf Run and the
Kokosing River are free from appreciable levels of fecal contamination."

"The nitrogen levels increased at all the test sites, especially in the form of
ammonia. There are a couple of possible answers that help explain this. First,
organic nitrogen is far more available than phosphorous, especially in the
form of ammonia. This is because of all the grazing cattle and horses in
the area."

"Some people [buy our springwater] because they know we don't use chemicals,
other people just because it's good spring water."

"It is probable that the increase in plowing and fertilizing that will take place
during these months [late spring] could cause major changes in the stream's
physio-chemistry."

Knox County is home to the Kokosing River, well known for its clean water
and good fishing. Even though the county's main industry is agriculture,
chemical
use has not noticibly affected water quality. Farmers as well as
cityfolk rely on the county's streams, river, and aquifer as sources of
drinking water. The potential for water contamination must remain a primary
concern of all the residents of Knox County. As with any industry, improper
use of natural resources such as water can render them useless to the community
at large.

The absence of E. Coli, mentioned above, indicates that manure has not seriously
contaminated the area's waterways. When waste enters streams it lowers the
amount of oxygen available to living organisms. This contamination is also a health hazard
to the people who consume water.